Base-ball game-board.



P. DE ROGHER. BASE BALL GAMB BOARD.` .APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1909.

- Patented Dee. 28,1909.

nm f mi" I' emitan sTATEs PATENT oFFIoE.

FOS DE ROCHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BASE-BALL GAME-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. A28, 1909.

Application led September 23, 1909. Serial No. 519,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fosa' DE ROCHER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and

a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook cessories, with which the ordinary plays and pointsin the game of base ball have their ,counter arts, and for which the ordinary rules o base ball apply as far as required, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompan ing drawings Fi ure 1 is a plan -view o agame board or c art showing the preferred arran ement of the present improvement. Figsa 3, 4, 5 and 6, are detail views of the different movable pieces or parts used in connection with the game board.

In the board or c art is pre erably of the rectangular shape shown in Fig. 1, and is formed from a sheet of mill board, or the like, and

with its face marked olf in manner similarV to the eld of a base ball grounds, said markings comprising in detail as follows 1, 2, 3, and 4, are the first, second, third and home bases,`arranged on the face of the board, and preferably connected together by the usual runner paths to constitute the -diamond-, which separates the innerA 4from the outer field of the grounds.

5 are a pair of angular lines arranged to the rear of the home plate or base 4, and preferably in parallel and se arated relation to the adjacent paths of t e diamond as shown. e

6 is a transverse line arranged intermediate of the second and home bases 2 and 4, to constitute a miss or balk line inthe game.

7 and 8-are a pair 'of divisional lines arranged in separated. relation, and referably of the curved form shown, 4to ivide the outer field of the gameinto double and triple 9 are a'pai'r of angular lines within the diamond, with their meeting point at, or adjacent t the usual itchers stand or box. n

10 is a segmenta goal arranged immediately forward of the home plate or base 4,

resent improvement the game and extending between the diverging paths which extend from the home plate 4' to the first andthird bases 1, and 3, respectively.

Thelines 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and l0, are marked with the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F, re-v spectively, for use in nconnection with the*v set of printed rules furnished with the game board and under which rules the game is played and decision reached. For a like purpose the home plate 4, will be markedl with the letter HL 11 and 12 are counterpart rows of spots,

pockets 'or goals arranged respectively between the rst and second bases, and between the second and third bases as shown. Said spots are .marked with the numerals 1, 2, 34

and 4, to assist in the ready selection of any particular spot in playing the game.

y 13 is a space at one side of the board, marked Out 1, 2,3-, and 14 is a correspending s vace at the other side of the board, mar ed u--Strikes 1 2, 3; the respective spaces being employed in scoring different points as the game progresses.

Pictures of baseball players 1n different attitudes are referably printed on diii'erent parts ofl the oard, as shown, to assist in locating the different parts of the ball field 15 is a projectile, preferabl ot' a ball form, and formed with a Hat si e as shown, to adapt it to have a slidin movement upon the surface `of the game oard when projected along the same by the players. The projection or shooting of said projectile or ball 15 is referably effected by a flip of a finger of t e player with the hand restingyupon the surface of the board. Any other usual means may be employed in such rojecting operation, without departlng rom the spirit of this part of the present invention.

16 is a scoreiece or member carrying the Y mark O, an adapted in connection with the space 1 3, and its numerals 1, 2, and 3, to score the outs :".during each inning ofthe game.

17 is a score piece or member carrying the mark S, and adapted in connectionwith the space 14, and its numerals .1, 2 and 3, to score the strikes during each inning of the game.

18 is a score ieee or member carrying the mark B, and) adapted in connection with one of vthe straight rows of spots 11 or 12, to score the balls as called during each inning A of the game.

Cal

entitles the opponent to a base. The pitcher docs not count, andis to be shot or pitched 19 is a score piece or ymember carrying the representation of a ball player, and adapted in connection with the first, second and third bases, to indicate the bases occupied during each inning of the game.

The arrangement of parts above described, and as shown in the drawing is the preferred i form ofthe present invention, in that the game can be played wholly upon one-half or the other of the game board, with theadvantage that one-half of the board can be arranged for easy playing adapted for beginners, while the'otlter .half can be made more difficult to play by any of the means usually employ-'ed in the present class of game boards. In accordancewith such arrangement, the segmental goal 10, and other parts will be preferably divided by a longitudinal medianline into two halves or sections.

In playing an imitation game of base ball with the present board, the same, is placedbetween two persons facing each other, and representing the opposing batter and pitcher of the game to be played, and so denominated in the further description of -thc game. The pitcher places the ball l5, upon the itchers box or station, or-to oneside or t eother thereof, as agreed upon, and by a flip of the finger projects or shoots the ball in the direction of the'l home plate and the batter. In lsuch shooting operation the object s to shoot the ball onto the home base 4, or onto the segmental goal 10, and a failure to do so constitutes a called ball, and four such balls keeps tab of thev number of such called balls by the score piece 18, on one of the rows of goals 11 or 12; while the other` row is reserved for the use of the batter, asshereinafter set forth. l y vThe pitcher' will be governed by rules as i follows: Every time the pitcher shoots the ball on or past the line 5, a batters hit is g called and 'a player is placed on first base. vWhen the ball is touching any part of the home plate 4, a strike is called. lVhen the ball does not go over the line 6, the shoot over.

The play of the batter is as follows: WV hen the pitcher has shot the ball onto the segmental goal 10, the ball is taken by the batter and placed upon the home plate 4, i and in manner similar to that above described in connection with the pitcher the ball, is ipped or projected outward into the ball field. The object is to shoot the ball in a serial manner onto the four goals consti tuting one or the otherrrow of goals 11 or y 12, reserved for the batters use, and the at'- tainment of which constitutes a home run. Shooting the ball onto the goalfNo. l, constitutes a base hit, the next trial is made for hit is scored, except when the ball'is'shot over the line 8, as hereinafter explained. The attainment of goals Nos. 1 and 2, with a miss of goal No., constitutes a two-base.

hit; and in like manner the attainment of goals Nos. 1, 2 constitutes a three-base hit.

'After each base hit abovereferred to, the ball is returned to the home basefor the next succeeding shoot. The missing of goal'llo. l, constitutes a strike, and after such strike, called ball, out, batters hit, home run, and miss, the pitcher shoots again in the manner above described.

The batter keeps score of the strikes and outs by means of the score pieces 16 and 17 on the score spaces '13 and le at the sides of the game board, as well as the progress of the players upon the bases by means of tbe i score pieces 19 placed upon or removed from said bases.. The manipulation of the score pieces 19, may be effected by the pitcher, or bythe pitcher and batter jointly,as may be mutually decided upon in advance.

The batter is governed by the following rules: Everytime the batter shoots the ball tor goal No. l, etc. and the ball touches or goes over line 9, the shoot constitutes a strike,but failure to reach such line constitutes'a foul and is to be shot over. -When 'the pitcher lands the ball on the portion of the segmental goal 10 in use, the batter must bat or shoot the ball. The shooting of the ball by the batter over the line 8 constiutes a double-play, and the farthest man on Y hebases is out 'along with the batter, while if no players are on the base, the batter alone 1s out, and any previous hits 'scored do not count. The shooting of the ball by the batf ter over line 7 constitutes a triple play, and if two players are on the bases, they are out along with. the batter. With the occurrence of such last result the board is reversed between the players, and the batter becomes the pitcher, yand vice-versa, to repeat the next inning in the manner and under rules above stated and under any additional rulesV which may beagreed upon to render the game more intrlcate or, interesting.

Having'thus fully described my said in- 5 vention what I claim' as newl and desire to 5 secure by Letters Patent, 1s:-

1. il base ball game board adapted for use in connectionwith a slidable ball or projectile, and provided with a first base, a seeond base, a third base, a home base, a pitchers station, a goal arranged in front of the home base, a base hit line to the rear of the home base. double and triple play lines in the outer ball field, and two series of 'goals between the first and second bases and seci ond and third baseskrespectively, substantially as se'. forth.

A base ball game board adapted for use goal No. 2, and if the same is missed, a base V, in connection with a slidable ball or pro jectile, and provided with a lirst base, a second base, a third base,a home base, apitchers station, a goal arranged. in front of the home base, a base hit line to the rear of the home base, double and-triple play lines in the outer ball eld, a transverse balk line intermediate of second and h ome bases, and two series of goals between the first and sec- -ond and second and third bases, respectively,

substantially as set forth.

3. A base ball game board adapted for use in connection With a slidable ball or projectile, and provided With a irst base, a second base, a third base, a Ahome base, a pitchers station, a goal arranged in front of the home base, a base hit lineto the rear of the home base, double and triple play lines in the outer ball field, a transverse balk linefintermediate of second and home bases, diagonal lines intersecting at the piteherds`v Station, and two series of goalsbetweenthe iiist and second bases and second and third bases,-re spectively, substantially as setforth.

4. A base bau game board adapted tof-us4 in connection with a slidable ball or projectile, andprovided with arst base,a second base, a third base', a honie base, a pitchers goalsbetween the first and second bases and second and third bases, respectively, substantially as set forth.

' Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of September 1909.

Fosa DE ROCHER.

Witnesses .i

RQBERT BURNS,

VIRGINIA DONATO.` 

